Stage-lift flowing device



Oct. 28, 1930. A. BOYNTON STAGE LIFT FLOWING DEVICE Fild Dec. 10, 1926 2 Sheets-Shet 1' Oct. 28, 1930. BOYNTQN 1,779,726

STAGE LIFT FLOWING DEVICE Filed Dec. 10, 1926 sheets-sha 2 V i .2. KQZ' JQ IRA).

WIIIIJII Jpgnucnhn affotucq Patented Oct. 28, .1930

UNITE'D STATES A NT-onion ALEXANDER IBOYNTON, or sea memo, TEXAS- STAGELIFT FLOW'ING DEVICE- -App11cation filed December 10, 1926. Serial at. 153,949.

are more or less automatic in operation so that the same are opened for the admission of a lifting fluid at the pro er intervals and closed when the level of the uid drops below a predetermined point.

Another aim of the invention is to provide an induction valvehaving means whereby the movement of the slugs of oil therethrough is aided and subjected to theleast possible obstruction. Other objects and advantages will bea parent during the course of the following e-k scription. v I

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and in which like nu-. merals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an automatic valve by which the flowing o erationis terminated when the level of t e fluid in the tubing drops below a predetermined point;

Figures 2 and 2A are sectional views illustrating a tubing positioned within the casing of a well and equipped with induction valves embodied in the invention; w

Figure 3 is a sectional view through one of the induction valves; Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4ofFigure3; 4 Figure 5 is a detail sectionalview illusv trating the lower end of a valve chamber.

In the drawings, the numeral 5 designates a'casing, which, as illustratedi-n Figure 1, has the upper portion thereofprovided with j a casing head 6 bywhich the liberation' of gas in the casing is prevented. Figure 1 illustrates in a ge'neral'way an automatic control valve by means of which the fiowing'of the well by a compressed lifting agent such as air or gas is'abruptly terminated when .the level of the fluid in the tubing drops below a predetermined point.'-

Figure 2 illustrates that the tubing 8 has a number of induction valves 9 incorporated therein for; the admission of a compressed lifting fluid such as air-or natural gas. from the well equipped with the invention or from' any other well. Of course, if air'is employed a compressor is necessary.

As lllustrated in Figure 2A-the tubing is 60 equi ped at the lower end thereof with a suita le number of lengths of pipe 10 some- .what greater in diameter than the diameter of the tubing to define what might be 1sslaig u N p to be a'sediment receivin chamber.

or other forei matter in t e-fluid may drop into .the sediment receiving chamber and when'the tubing is removed for any reason th'e chamber may be, cleaned first removing; the cap 11 which norma y closes the "9 lower end of the same.

Each-induction valve 9 is inthe nature of a more or less tubular body, the ends of which n are internally threaded for connection with the adjacent ends of the various len hs of tubing Between the ends of the tubmgthe inductlon valve 9 is provided with a flow passage 12 approximately equal in cross-sectional area to the cross-sectional area of the bore of the tubing so that the oil may easily '80 pass therethrough.

Figure 3 illustrates that the body is pro-' vided with an internal longitudinally ex-I tending valve chamber 14, the upper portion of-which is internally threaded for engagement by a combined outlet member and valve seat'18. The inner end of thevmember 18 is provided with a seat 20 for engagement by the head 22 of a spiral valve body-23. It is believed to be'clear that when-the tapered I head 22 is in firm engagement with the seat 20 the flow of a lifting fluidsuch as com pressed air or gas through the'valve cham-. ber 14 is cut oil. This feature of the operg5 ation of the'improv'ed induction valve will, however, be described in detail later. The member 18 has its upper end 24 transversely v slotted for engagement by the forward end of a screw driver or other tool found suitwhich air for testin able for use in place.

In carrying out the invention, the lower portion of the spiral valve body 23 is provided with a head'25 adapted to engage a seat 26 at the lower portion of the passage 14 for the obvious purpose of preventing the leakage of oil by way of the passage 14 and at the same time permitting of the admission securing the member 18 in of a lifting fluid from the casing of the well.

. which illustrates that the wall of the valve chamber 14 is integral with the body 9 and,

therefore, protrudes but slightly into the flow passage 12. However, the intrusion of the chamber 14 into the flow passage 12 is compensated for by bulging or bowing the opposite side of the induction valve body as clearly shown in Figure 3. This avoids a reduction in the cross-sectional area of the flow passage, which reduction would obstruct the free flow of the slugs of oil through the valve under the influence of an expanding lifting fluid, either air or gas.

Special attention is invited to the fact that the wall of the chamber 14 has the lower portion thereof tapered to a point as indicated at 30. This'avoids the presence of an abrupt shoulder in the path of travel of the slugs of oil. In other words, the tapered lower-portion 30 defines what might be said to be a deflector by which the slugs of oil are introduced into the flow. passage 12 without unnecessary distortion'and obstruction. A substantial obstruction to the free flow of oil through the tubing or any one of the induction valves therein would possibly break down or disintegrate the slugs of oil so that the same would no longer be sustained and elevated by the expandin lifting fluid.

It will be seen that t e internal longitudinal rib having the chamber 14 is formed integral withthe wall of the flow passage for the full length of the rib so that the ascending native well fluid is prevented from depositing mud and other foreign matter between the rib and the adjacent portion of the wall of the chamber. It' also will be seen that the rib having the chamber 14 is externally smooth and that the lower portion of the same is reduced in diameter and is not formed with shoulders or other protuberances which would define a convenient depository for mud or the like. 7

In the installation of the improved stage lift flowing device, one of the valves for the compressed fluid may be placed approximately 400 feet from the surface and from 450 feet down to about 1050 feet one valve may be placed at every 120 feet. From 1050 feet to 1450 feet the valves may be placed 100 feet apart. From 1450 to 1690 feet the valves may advantageously be .80 feet apart and below 1690 feet the valves may be placed approximately 60'feet from each other.

Below the inlet valves for the lifting fluid a check valve 140 may be located to retain in the tubing that oil which may not have been blown out in the flowing process. It is important to note that when the valve heads 25 are seated the same cooperate with the check valve 140 in retaining oil in the tubing. Necessarily, some oil will settle back after a well has flowed, unless an unnecessary amount of gas is wasted to perfectly clean the tubing. There is no reason why this oil should be allowed to settle back into the well exteriorly of the tubing and buildup a back pressure against the oil seeking to come into the well. For that reason the check valve 140 is employed in conjunction with the valves 25. Furthermore, oil which is allowed to flow back into the well from the tubing not only wastes energy, but results in agitation which assists in liberating the lighter properties of crude oil. Therefore, the check valve prevents unnecessary back pressure on the sands, avoids agitation, and loss of energy. Y

The oil enters the tubing by way of inlets 51 and as the level of the oil in the tubing is about 300 feet above the level of the oil in the casing several valves will be exposed to permit of the admission of compressed air or gas to the tubing at a point below the level of the oil therein.

The highly compressed fluid WhlCh enters byway of the passage 14 does not expand until it enters the tubing and rises somewhat and it is this expansion and consequent pressure which is relied'on to bring the oil to the surface. The compressed fluid during its passage from the valve chamber 14 partakes of no appreciable expansion. This is true because of the resistance resultingfrom the presence of a higher column of oil in the tubing than in the casing. In other words, expansion of the lifting agent is resisted by the oil in the tubing, but such expansion does,

however, take place after the lifting fluidenters the tubing.

When the level of the oil in the tubing drops below a particular valve, the free rush Hit of air by way ofthe passage 14 will result in" the expansion of the air orgas while still in the passage 14 with the result that the spiral body 23 will be moved from a slightly elevated position to a completely elevated position to close the member 18 and thereby cut ofi the further supply of air to the tubing by ticular valve, the valve body will rise only slightly under the influence of the compressed fluid and when the tubing fluid drops below a particular valve the valve head 22 is immediately seated to cut off the admission of additional compressed air or gas by way of that valve.

The spiral body 23 has a free working fit within the passage 14, but the valve heads 22 and 25 are somewhat less in diameter than the diameter of the passage 14 to allow of the free movement of air or gas into the tubing.

,The contact of the compressed fluid with the spiral body will cause. the spiral body to rapidly rotate with the result that the valve seats at opposite ends of the chamber 14 and the valve heads are kept ground in at all times. Suflicient sand is present in the well to supply the necessary grindlng compound.

Every movement of compressed air or gas through the valve chamber rotates the spiral body 23 since there is no friction between valve head 25 and its seat. Every contact of the valve heads with their respective seats is necessarily a rotating contact and this results in maintaining the valves properly seated until completely worn out. The spiral body 23 is heavy enough to avoid the danger of sticking and the centrifugal force resulting from the rapid turning of the valve keeps the spiral bodv and the attached valve heads clean. Herein lies one of the advantages of a spiral body over a ball valve. Centrifugal force tends to clean a ball valve only par tially, both poles of the axis of a ball valve being comparatively stationary and. therefore, under ground at such points. For this reason a ball valve soon wears into somewhat of an elliptical form and unfit for completely effecting a good seal.

In operation a highly compressed fluid is introduced into the casing and should it be that the oil within the tubing exte ds to within four or five hundred feet of the surface the uppermost valve may berefied on to ad mit suflicient compressed fluid to blow the oil above the same to the surface.

As the level of oil drops additional valves come into play and the rapid rush of air or gas through a particular valve chamber 14, due to the drop in the level of oil in the tubing, will result in p the movement of the valve head 22 to closed position to render that valve inoperative for the present. This act-ion, however, never occurs until the fluid level in the well has been lowered to a point where at least the next valve is exposed. Compressed air or gas then enters at the lowermost exposed valve until the oil above that valve has been blown out through the tubing. The next valve below has then become exposed by the the sure of the air or gas will be quickly relieved through these perforations. When the pressure of the air or gas is thus rapidly decreased the automatic valve illustrated in Figure 1 will terminate the flowing operation. It will be observed that there is a passage 60 establishing communication between the casing and the automatic control valve.

By way of example, it might be pointed out that if there are 200 pounds of air or gas in the casing and 50 pounds of back pressure in the tubin there will be 150 pounds of air'or gas capa le of lifting 500 feet of oil at 30 pounds to the hundred feet. Therefore, if the valves are spaced approximately 100 feet apart below the level of the oil withall of these valves would be closed except the exteriorly of the tubing ad that valve will lower one or two because the back pressure there would not admit air ,or gas fast enough to close the lower valves, but would admit enough highly compressed air or gas to flow the oil from the tubing above. In .other words, the fluid having the lifting force may enter the tubing only at points where substantial heads of oil are encountered. v Compressed air or gas entering through a particular valve has-less volume than it assumes after it has risen appreciably in the tubingand the expansion of the airor gas after it enters the tubing is relied on to lift the head of fluid.

With 100 pounds of effective pressure, that is, exclusive of back pressure in the casing,

and the level of the oil in the tubing is 300 feet above the level of the oil in the casing, several valves in the tubing will be exposed to the admission or air or gas below the surface of the oil in the tubing and the compressed air or gas would enter by way of the exposed valves which expansion and consequent lifting is accelerated as the air or gas approaches the surface.

Havin thus described the invention, what isclaime is:

1. In a fluid inlet device for wells, a body having a flow passage for the conduct of a fluid, the wall of the passage being provided with an externally smooth integral longitudinal rib in the path of .the fluid and having the lower portion thereof reduced and tapered to deflect the fluid, said rib having means to admit a lifting medium to said and expand below slugs of oil, I,

drop of the level of the fluid within the casing tween the rib and the wall of the passage.

-2.. In a fluid inlet device for wells, a body having a flow passage for the conduct of a fluid, the wall of the passage being provided with a longitudinal rib united with the wall for the full length'of the rib and having the lower portion thereof reduced and tapered to a point to gradually deflect fluid, said rib having means to admit a lifting medium to said passage and being-joined with the wall of the assage for the full length of the rib to inhi it the accumulation of matter between the rib and the wall of the passage, the

flow passage bein bowedopposite said rib.

In testimony w ereof I aflix my signature.

ALEXANDER BOYNTON. 

